Okay, so here's the next chapter. I tried to keep Alex as in character as possible but Horowitz doesn't give me many examples of his temper to work with so hopefully it isn't too off. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing. Much love!
Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider or Cherub.
Alex slammed open the door to the house ignoring the look he got from Jack as he entered the kitchen. He went to straight to the freezer and grabbed one of the icepacks they always kept on hand. Pressing it to the back of his skull, Alex stormed into the living room and collapsed onto the couch next to a confused looking Eagle.
"What's wrong with you?" Wolf asked from one of the armchairs; Snake had claimed the other one and the remote; Lauren was sitting at the desk using Jack's laptop. Alex didn't answer opting to glare at James as he, Fox, and Jack entered the room.
"C'mon Alex," James said clearly not fully understanding why Alex so mad. "It was an honest mistake."
"It was the stupidest, most amateur mistake I've ever seen," Alex snapped.
"What happened?" Snake asked directing his question more towards Fox than anyone. Fox simply shrugged in reply.
"I'll tell you what happened," Alex said angrily and K-Unit immediately turned their attention to him. "We were less than three yards away from the Help Earth operatives, listening in on a conversation, and James's mobile went off!" By the time Alex finished, he was so far foreword on the couch he might as well have been sitting on air and he was practically shouting.
"Why was your mobile on?" Wolf growled fixing the Cherub with an intense glare. Alex could see James getting increasingly nervous as even Eagle regained his soldier stature. Cold and silent.
"Go on, James," Alex pushed perhaps a little too mockingly. "Tell them why it went off." When James didn't answer, Fox did it for him having heard the answer in the car earlier.
"It was the alarm," he informed his teammates. "For a Playstation tournament with all the Cherubs online." Alex saw Lauren roll her eyes, Snake's eyes actually narrowed in anger, Jack looked impassive, not willing to interfere with a mission, and Eagle managed to stop Wolf from exploding on the spot by saying, "What did you do?" He was looking at James but he was asking Alex. Alex gave a small sigh to calm himself before replying.
"Put James in a cabinet, and then pulled a Kevin McCallister," he said and Jack snorted with laughter, recognizing the name instantly. Jack made Alex watch Home Alone every year on Christmas but K-Unit didn't understand the American movie reference. Alex launched into a full explanation of what happened in the basement. Jack and Lauren were the only ones to show their amusement, K-Unit was too professional to laugh about it, and James was just plain too nervous.
"So, you didn't find the bomb shelter?" Lauren asked when he was done. Alex shook his head.
"No," James said. "And the bomb goes off tomorrow."
"Device," Alex corrected.
"Huh?" James said confused.
"They said device, not bomb," Alex told them. "And it happens at 12:45 during the assembly."
"What assembly?" Lauren asked. Alex dug into his pocket and threw the waded notice he'd taken to Wolf, who read it quickly and passed it to Snake.
"Anthony Caraway," Alex said finally leaning back, ice pack still pressed to the back of his head. "Billionaire chemist, owns several pharmaceutical companies, and has government contracts concerning the disposal of biohazardous waste."
"Why will he be at Brookland?" Lauren asked glancing at the notice over Eagle's shoulder.
"Caraway was a student at Brookland when he was a kid," Alex explained. "He heard about the school's financial problems and wants to make a donation. He's making a speech to everyone about it tomorrow."
"Financial problems?" Eagle asked latching on to probably the least significant detail of the entire mission. Alex explained the situation anyway, mostly because it was his fault.
"The school had to scrounge to pull enough money together for the renovations," he started. "Building a new science building put it in debt. The art and music department's funding were cut and the math and social studies departments need new textbooks and teachers. Caraway's donation is a big deal to the school."
"You keep mentioning a 'new' science building," Fox pointed out.
"Yeah, what happened to the old one?" Snake asked. Alex shared a glance with Jack before answering.
"Blew up," he said quickly. "That's not the point. Help Earth is planning something to go down during Caraway's speech and we have no idea what."
"Wait a sec," James said. "If this donation is such a big deal, why didn't they announce it?"
"They did," Alex said pointing to the notice Eagle was holding.
"That's not an announcement," Lauren said.
"It is for Brookland," Alex replied.
"What do you mean?" James asked and Alex heaved a frustrated sigh.
"You don't know anything about Brookland, do you?" he asked.
"We were briefed about it," Lauren said.
"Not very well," Alex snapped. "The PA system is busted." He grabbed the paper from Eagle and held it up. "This is the announcements, which was why I stopped at the bulletin board before the search. You probably would have noticed it too, if you would do your job!" It was the first time Alex had referred to the Cherubs in any professional sense but his mocking tone negated any compliment there might have been otherwise.
"I am doing my job, Alex!" James snapped at him, temper flaring.
"No, you're not!" Alex exclaimed standing up and throwing both the paper and the icepack on the coffee table in front of him. "You're a little kid playing a dangerous game."
"I know the risks," James hissed and Alex couldn't help but laugh at him.
"You think you know the risks," Alex told him. "You have no idea what you're doing. You're a human listening device with a glorified track record."
"And what makes you think you have anymore ability than me?" James said angrily.
"Because I do!" Alex shouted, arms flinging over his head to emphasize his anger. "You think I get an Ethics Committee?! You think I get benefits or the chance to back out?! I'm lucky they decide to patch me up at all!" Alex was beyond angry now; he was furious but whether it was at James, the Cherub organization in general, or at MI6, it was hard to tell.
"What are you talking about?" James asked, his own anger subsiding somewhat with his mounting confusion.
"What am I talking about?" Alex repeated before letting out a humorless laugh. "I'm talking about the fact that I've read your files and I know how Cherub organization works. While you're trying to take down the local drug lord, I'm on a suicide run to stop a Russian maniac from causing a nuclear holocaust. I'm talking about how your temper and inexperience almost got us killed! You're not bullet proof James!"
"I know that!" James replied hotly. "I'm not stupid and stop being such a martyr Alex."
"He's not being a martyr," Jack said quietly. All eyes turned to her. "He's telling the truth." K-Unit remained silent not entirely sure where this would go and wanting to see if Alex would continue about his missions; they were curious and Alex had a tendency to change the subject. Lauren was too shocked by Alex's sudden anger to make more than a squeak.
"It's not like he's the only one to have tough missions," James said. "Besides, MI6 won't let us see his file. He could be a complete screw up for all we know. I heard the last official training he got was months ago; Cherubs train constantly."
"Let me tell you a little something James," Alex said crossing the room to stand in front of the other boy. "I've been training for this job since I could walk. And do you honestly think MI6 is just gonna hand you the file of one of their best kept secrets? You really think they're going to give you details on my missions? The stuff in my file is highly classified state secrets. Things K-Unit will never have the clearance to see; stuff I doubt the Cherub director has clearance to see. When they send me somewhere, it's because there are no other options; when they send you somewhere, it's to make their jobs easier. Face it James, you're not a high ranking agent to MI6, you're low rank MI5 grunt who can't do his job. You're nobody to them and no matter what you think, you're nowhere near my level." Alex should have expected the fist that collided with his jaw a half second later. James was furious; Alex knew all about the Cherub's temper, having read about it in his file a month prior. The MI6 spy had baited him with his small speech but he couldn't help it; James thought he was tougher and higher ranking then he really was. James wasn't built like Alex; he wasn't a Rider. A family of spies. It was in Alex's blood to do what he did and to do it as well as he did. It was James's only semi-good option to do what he did.
The punch had some power to it, even Alex could admit that. James was pretty strong for a fourteen-year-old but Alex was used to stronger. James's punch only forced Alex to turn his head. Alex, reacting purely on instinct, threw a punch back, catching James square in the jaw. His hit had far more force to it as he was used to fighting full-grown, well-trained men like K-Unit. Alex's punch sent James to the floor.
"Alex!" Jack screamed hoping to keep the boy from doing the damage she knew he could do. Lauren instantly went to James's side and Alex felt strong hands on his arms, pulling him away.
"Cub, stop it," Eagle said firmly, spinning the boy around to look him in the eye, and giving him a small shake. "It's not worth it."
"Not worth it?" Alex repeated. He shook Eagle's grip off and backed up a few steps towards James, who was getting up off the floor. Alex turned to face him and said, "You need to learn that the Cherubs aren't as good as you think they are. Your head's in the clouds James. I won't let your mistakes put my school in danger. I'm calling Blunt to have you pulled off this mission." James's eyes flashed and Snake put out an arm to keep him from charging at Alex. Wolf also put a restraining hand on Alex's shoulder to keep him from doing anything as well. The room's atmosphere was tense and Jack looked scared that a fight between trained fighters was going to break out in her living room.
"You don't have the authority, Alex," James hissed. "This is a Cherub mission and you're only listed as a consultant. I'm the agent on point for this mission, not you." Alex stared at him hard trying to see if he was telling the truth. MI6 hadn't said anything about this.
"Yeah, and you've done such a fine job so far," Alex said sarcastically.
"I know what I'm doing," James assured him and Alex looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.
"Have you completely forgotten what happened an hour ago?" he asked. "Hell, do you remember this morning?"
"What happened this morning?" Wolf asked. The soldier's tone was hard and cold as if he was going into battle.
"Why don't you tell them? James Starbright," Alex said then heard Jack gasp.
"You used my name?!" she shouted.
"Hey, I don't come up with the covers," James defended.
"Yeah, we've noticed you do very little," Alex said a little harshly.
"Shut up Alex!" Lauren snapped. "We get your point, you don't have to be rude about it."
"No," Alex said shaking off Wolf's hand. "I don't think you do get my point." He looked at James, a blank expression on his face, "You think you handle this mission James? Fine," he said and started backing up towards the stairs. "I quit. I'm no longer you're consultant." With that Alex turned and walked up the stairs.
He was in his room for less than a minute when Wolf and Eagle, disregarding the closed door and all manners, walked in. Alex immediately tensed; he'd never liked having people he didn't know all that well in his room.
"What the hell, Cub?" Wolf said looking downright angry. "You can't just quit the mission!" Alex laughed, which only got him the infamous glare.
"Did you listen to a word I said? I didn't quit the mission. I quit my consulting job," Alex said. "You really think I'm gonna leave the lives of everyone in Brooklandin James's hands? Please, give me a little credit." Eagle shook his head at him and Wolf remained silent not sure how to respond.
"So, you two are going to do this separately?" Eagle asked.
"No, I'm going to do this and try to keep the Cherubs alive in the process. They're going to do, whatever it is they do," Alex responded.
"Great," Eagle sighed.
"Do you have any idea what Help Earth is planning?" Wolf asked him.
"It's not a bomb," Alex said instantly. "It's something else. When we read the Cherub's files a month ago, it mentioned that on James's first mission Help Earth was planning on releasing anthrax in a hotel ventilation system. They like to use a person's own 'crimes' against them. Caraway doesn't make bombs or any kind of weapons. He's works with chemicals. It'll be something along those lines."
"Yeah, maybe," Wolf said thinking it all over carefully.
"Maybe it's a vat of toxic chemicals," Eagle said dead serious. "And they're gonna dump it on him."
"This isn't a cartoon Eagle," Wolf said exasperated with his teammate. Alex gave a small smile as the two started to bicker. He knew he could stop this attack by himself; K-Unit was his back up and Help Earth weren't that though to figure out. It had been twenty-hours since he'd first been briefed and Alex already had a time, a motive, and a target. Figuring out the how wouldn't be too difficult.
The fact that it was his school made it increasingly harder but, despite today's Cherub-sized setbacks, Alex did have a plan. All he had to do was maneuver everyone to the right spot which, again, wouldn't be hard. He could easily convince K-Unit to follow his lead, as they'd mostly been doing anyway; the Cherubs would be easy to manipulate, he couldn't outright tell them what to do as they would resist him at every turn; Help Earth would just have to do what he already knew they planning to do for everything to work.
It had taken Alex the ride home to figure out how to evacuate the school, keep the Help Earth operatives on site, figure out where the entrance to the bomb shelter was, and pinpoint the most likely places this 'device' was going to be. Help Earth's plan wasn't that hard; he'd more or less figured it out after he'd been able to figure out where the shelter was. That, combined with the knowledge of Brookland he'd gathered simply by being a student there for years made the plan come into focus easily. He wished all his missions were this easy.
If you don't know what Home Alone is, wikipedia is there for you! Speaking of movies, I was watching Alex Rider the other day and was anyone else a little freaked about the random Bear character in K-Unit? What the hell? Where's Snake?!
Next Chapter: The Cherubs get a dose of super-spy reality! Alex's plan is reviled! It's gonna be good!